Home // International Journal On Advances in Software, volume 4, numbers 1 and 2, 2011 // View article

Intelligent Look-Ahead Scheduling for Structural Steel Fabrication Projects

Authors:
Reza Azimi
SangHyun Lee
Simaan AbouRizk

Keywords: Construction Simulation; High Level Architecture (HLA); project monitoring and control; real-time data capture, Artificial Neural Networks

Abstract:
Look-ahead Scheduling can be a difficult task, especially for non-repetitive, irregular work packages and activities such as occur in structural steel fabrication, where a variety of equipment, material and skilled work is required to manufacture unique steel pieces. Although punctual look-ahead scheduling based on the most recent system analysis and project data can significantly improve productivity and project control, this technique has not been extensively used in the construction industry. This paper presents an intelligent and integrated simulation-based framework in which real-time as-built data are captured and along with intelligently generated as-planned data are fed into the simulation model for look-ahead scheduling. A distributed simulation system based on the High Level Architecture is proposed to enhance the performance of the system. The ability of the proposed system to incorporate real-time actual data along with different scenarios that represent the dynamic work environment and external factors opens new doors to improve the accuracy of look-ahead scheduling in the construction industry. To exhibit the feasibility of the proposed framework, a prototype system is developed and deployed in a steel fabrication company.

Pages: 207 to 217

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2011. Used with permission.

Publication date: September 15, 2011

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2628